The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-02-12
OUR TEXAS LETTER.
Fort WORTH, TEXAS, I
January 2hth, 1887. !
"A GAZETTEi

January 25th, 1871
EI. GRENADA GAzETTE,
Dear Sir;--In fulfilling promise,
es we'll as my pleasure, | will give the
result of my observations up to this
aoipt on my route to the fair West. !
isft Memphis on the 2lst instant oyer
.he Memphis l. Little Rock railroad !;
after passing the night traverslng the
Marsl, and swamps of East Arkansas,
tho bright and beautiful morning Of
lks $50 found me at Texarkana, to all
sppseranees thrifty little city often
thaysand people. The most peculiar
aba striking feature to me was to find
tua separate and distinct city govern
,oentG, with two postotfices designat-
I'd ss Texarkana, Texas, and Texark-
ana, Arkansas, the Main Street run
aipg North and South being the di-
yiding line.
After q change to the Texas g. Pa
4ifo oars, for the first time in life ]
realized ! was in the great Lone Star
State, of WHICH have heard and read
50 Gaueh, But in spite of preconcelv-
ed notions, | could see nothing in
landscape or soil to make me feel that
tEsre was anything superior to the
ifpine-clad bills of Mississippi The
general face of the country ID not so
broken, but the soil much thinner
and without the clay sub-soil covered
with an inferior pine forest, with a
slight sprinkle of the oak varieties, all
presenting rather a scrubhy appear
ance, but passable, have been culled
by the mill man, as the saw-mill
seemed to be the only industry along
the llIe-.one could be seen every few
miles, Of eminent capacity, with large
stoaks of their products on hand.
In the face Of this poor soil their
towns are new and beautiful and have
as much appearance of prosperity as
any in the cotton belt, nOtwithstand-
ing the negro, mule and cotton bales
are fast disappearing from the scene,
nuuyiUciug me that no section is
wholly dependent upon king cotton
for its thrift and prosperity. This
condition of things continues at least
one bundled miles, when the monot-
ony IL Interrupted by the grand prai-
ris, Of which Dallas is about midway,
Fast and West. While the scene was
delightful and impressive, ] was
rather disappointed in many of its
features, First, the color and depth
of the soil was below my idea; while
1t is rich and lies pndulating enough
for perfect drainage, 1t is in no par
ticular superior to the prairie of East
Mississippi twenty-five years ago, or
equal to the SunflOwer and Deer
Creek lands 0fto-day.
but the climax Of surprise was the
appearance of the farm-houses, not
one Of which would cost more than
two hundred dollars, and many much
less; not q barn or shelter ofany kind
for stock; in fact, much like a Missis-
sippi plantation abandoned to the
tenant. Now the day closes with the
sight Of the city of Dallas scattered
over enough territory for one twice
Its size--but presents many real city
features, with every indication OF
wealth and enterprise.
At $3.50 we arrived In Fort Worth,
thlrty-fve miles West and rival
town of Dallas, of about the same
commercial Importance. The morn
Ing of the 23d found me at Cisco
Junction, where from choice ! pro-
pose to spend the Sabbath. So, after
y refreshing breakfast and clean
colar,we will attend Divine services.
Hoping a generous liberality FOR
the imperfections of this note, am
Yours respectfully,
J. G. HANNAH.